Swampy conditions

Yesterday, I mailed out a communication to all the new temple missionaries that are called to come and augment our numbers here in April.  I sent it out with the intent of seeing if the e-mail addresses we had were good.  I asked them each to respond to the e-mail so that I know that we were communicating with them.  As a result, starting last night, I have been getting flooded with their responses.  What I was not expecting was the tone of each response that is coming back in.  These people are excited and anxious to come and serve in Nauvoo.  It was the feeling that we had a year ago when we were preparing to come and serve here.  Now, a year later, our zeal has perhaps lessened a bit.  Feeling the enthusiasm of the new group is invigorating and so welcoming.  Having them come will be good for all of us in so many ways.

Also, yesterday, a bishop, in transit with several others to come to the temple, decided to call and verify with the temple that we were prepared for them.  The call was transferred to the brother at the recommend desk, and when asked if there was room on the 5 pm session, assured them that there was - as we did not have anyone scheduled for that time.  After giving him that assurance, he then realized that our last session for the day was scheduled to be at four, not five.  Adjustments were quickly made, and soon we all got to stay a little longer and make sure that our 5 pm session would be enjoyed by this group (4 couples).  We really are very accommodating.  And we always feel good when we can serve our patrons and allow the Lord to bless these good people that come.  Some of them come from as much as 3 or 4 hours away.  In the winter time, the weather often makes the trips here impossible.  So when they can come, we will do all that we can for them.

This last week has been a joy, weather wise.  It has warmed up – at least enough to actually melt a lot of the snow that has fallen over the last few weeks.  Monday, we had a blizzard, first with freezing rain and later with snow.  On Tuesday or Wednesday, after it warmed up a bit, we got a real heavy thunderstorm causing several inches of rain to fall.  It melted a lot of the snow but it had nowhere to drain.  The little parking area behind our house flooded to the point that we had to wade through 4 to 6 inches of water to get to our cars.  It wasn’t just the parking area.  The park like fields all around the flats were buried beneath rain-water and melted snow.  As we drove about the area we were reminded of the early saints that came here when this area was still called Commerce.  This area was a swamp.  They had to dig ditches to help drain the water.  Many died from malaria caused by the mosquitos that bred so abundantly in the standing waters all over the place.  Fortunately for us, our houses are already built.  We are sheltered from the rain and the bugs.  This water will drain before the mosquitoes get a change to lay their eggs.  But again, we get another memory to help us identify with the early Saints.